Situated in Lostwithiel, Cornwall, the unidentified people took it upon themselves to mend the crater on a road that had remained inaccessible since the start of April.
According to CornwallLive, Cornwall Highways has stated that the repairs were undertaken by an unidentified individual without proper authorization.
They are appealing to the local community to come forward with any information that could help identify the responsible person. Following the unofficial repairs, the upper section of Tanhouse Road and Bodmin Hill was temporarily reopened during the first weekend of May.
However, Cormac, the road repair company of Cornwall Council, has once again closed the road until official repairs can be conducted.
With a backlog of pothole repairs throughout Cornwall that need attention, the company has stated that the road will remain closed until 9th June.
Colin Martin, the Cornwall councilor representing Lostwithiel and Lanreath, likened the pothole in Lostwithiel to a symbolic representation of the overall decay of the public sector due to insufficient investment.
Currently, the road has been closed once again, and its reopening depends on a "proper" repair by Cormac. However, this repair may take several weeks, as the available teams have been redirected to fill smaller potholes on roads that are still accessible.
According to a Cornwall Highways manager who spoke to the news site, the budget for road resurfacing and proactive maintenance has been reduced by the Conservatives who are currently in charge of Cornwall Council.
The manager stated that the work conducted over the weekend was not performed by the Cornwall Highways team. Therefore, it is presumed that any repairs made to the road surface and the removal of road closure signs and related temporary infrastructure were carried out by unidentified individuals without proper consent.
In the event that any information regarding the identity of those responsible for the works comes to light within the community, kindly share the details, as stated by a spokesperson.
Cornwall Council's spokesperson explained that a persistent drainage problem has led to the deterioration of the road surface.
With the arrival of warmer and drier weather, Cormac will now be able to address the issue and carry out the necessary repairs. The spokesperson further mentioned that the road will continue to be closed until the repairs are successfully completed.
